Proper way to do the timing on a 1.8 16v?

Can anyone tell me the proper way to do the timing on a 1.8 16v, or point me in the right direction? I've searched on the forum but most of them are for 2.0 16vs or the thread has dead pics. i need to do this over the weekend and I want to make sure its done properly, that way the timing doesnt slip and then i have bent valves

I do have the Bentley, but page 13 of section 3 merely says: "Using a socket wrench on the camshaft vibration damper bolt, rotate the engine by hand to set the No. 1 cylinder to Top Dead Center (TDC). Rotate the crankshaft again 1 3/4 revolutions (about 1/4 turn before No. 1 TDC). Note - Check the position of the distributor rotor or the flywheel ignition timing marks to confirm cylinder No. 1 TDC. The vibration damper mark alone could indicate TDC for cylinder No. 1 or No. 4." Section 8 page 19-20 (To check basic ignition timing) is only for checking the timing with the engine running and the idle adjustment correct. I can't find any mention of the TDC marks anywhere in the Bentley.

What TDC mark can you not find? There is one on the crankshaft damper(that lines up with a mark on the TB cover), there is one on the cam sprocket (that lines up with the arrow on the VC) and there is one on the FW(that will align with the pointer in the hole in the bell-housing) and there is one in the dizzy that the rotor will point to.

Last edited by ps2375; 04-10-2012 at 05:12 PM.

Tradition is the art of making the same mistake repeatedly, on purpose.

What TDC mark can you not find? There is one on the crankshaft damper(that lines up with a mark on the TB cover), there is one on the cam sprocket (that lines up with the arrow on the VC) and there is one on the FW(that will align with the pointer in the hole in the bell-housing) and there is one in the dizzy that the rotor will point to.

The flywheel. Aren't there other timing marks on the flywheel other than just TDC? Which one will I be looking for?

So... my head timing marks are 180* off from the crankshaft TDC, as in when I align the vibration damper to TDC (checking the flywheel to make sure it is aligned to TDC as well), my camshaft sprocket's timing mark is pointing down, 180* from the V timing mark on the valve cover

Do I need to align the head timing marks to the vertical V on the valve cover as instructed in the manual, or leave it the 180* off that it was before the removal of the timing belt? I was told the engine was stock and didn't have an aftermarket cam, but would an aftermarket cam change the initial head vs crank timing marks? By as much as 180*?

My distributor rotor also appears to not quite align with the TDC mark on the distributor casing...

I set the camshaft pulley to the correct timing marks and, after re-installing the timing belt, I was able to rotate the engine multiple times by hand without any binding issues. Checked the marks again, made a one-tooth adjustment on the timing belt, rotated it over a couple more times, and everything seems to be in order. I haven't attempted a start up yet though, I called it quits for the day being as how it was 12:30am

If stuff is nasty or hard to see I like to take out plug #1, insert a long 1/4" extension and use it to find TDC while turning the engine with a ratchet. You just turn it till the extension (piston) is at its highest point. This is real easy since the spark plug is in the center and straight up.

At tdc:

a mark on the cam pulley aligns with an arrow on the valve cover

a line on the crank pulley aligns with an arrow on the plastic timing belt cover. When I can I like to put some paint into the arrow on the plastic timing cover for better visibility

the timing mark is visible at the top of the flywheel

Sometimes these may not all all align perfectly, but still they should be very close to on the mark.

If stuff is nasty or hard to see I like to take out plug #1, insert a long 1/4" extension and use it to find TDC while turning the engine with a ratchet. You just turn it till the extension (piston) is at its highest point. This is real easy since the spark plug is in the center and straight up.

At tdc:

a mark on the cam pulley aligns with an arrow on the valve cover

a line on the crank pulley aligns with an arrow on the plastic timing belt cover. When I can I like to put some paint into the arrow on the plastic timing cover for better visibility

the timing mark is visible at the top of the flywheel

Sometimes these may not all all align perfectly, but still they should be very close to on the mark.

That's exactly what I did, using a couple socket extensions as a visual guide. And at true TDC, the crankshaft vibration damper was just about right on the mark, the flywheel was dead on, but the camshaft sprocket was exactly 180° off (pointing straight down rather than up at the V in the valve cover). I corrected everything so that every mark was dead on, rotated the engine a few times by hand to make sure all was well, started it up, and used a timing light to dial in the distributor, and it's running great! The addition of the O2 sensor (never had one when I bought it) helped tremendously as well.